Celebrity Oprah Winfrey said that if she lived in Pennsylvania, she would have already voted for John Fetterman in the state’s U.S. Senate race.
Fetterman, the lieutenant governor of the Keystone State, is a Democrat running for U.S. Senate against GOP candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz, a celebrity who previously gained significant prominence as a repeat guest on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and who eventually starred in his own program which Winfrey’s Harpo Productions was involved in launching.
In addition to Fetterman, Oprah went on to express her support for a slew of other Democratic candidates around the country, including U.S. Senate candidates Cheri Beasley in North Carolina, Rep. Val Demings in Florida, Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin, incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada, and incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock in Georgia — she also expressed support for gubernatorial candidates Beto O’Rourke in Texas and Stacey Abrams in Georgia.
“So, there are clear choices out there and some dynamic candidates who are working to represent the values … that we hold dear. The values of inclusion, the values of compassion and community that so many of us share. So use your discernment, which seems to be missing in a lot of our … country today. Use your discernment and choose wisely,” Winfrey said.
Politico reported that Oz spokesperson Brittany Yanick said that, “Doctor Oz loves Oprah and respects the fact that they have different politics. He believes we need more balance and less extremism in Washington.”
“It is an honor and privilege to have Oprah’s support in this race,” Fetterman said in a statement. “She is a leader on so many issues — fighting for our democracy, passing common-sense gun reform, and ensuring racial justice. I’m grateful for Oprah’s support and trust on the issues that matter to people across the country and Pennsylvania as we close out this campaign.”